Pandemic inspires 18% of Brits opt for career in the trades

Powered Now unveils new research from the UK’s trade workforce showcasing growth in productivity post-lockdown.

18% of Brits agree that after COVID, have found employment within a trade sector to pick up additional work or to commence a new career path. 33% of those looking for work in the trades were AB, white-collar employees. 15% of tradespeople have seen their client demand increase post-COVID to their highest levels ever.

Often posed to the world’s most glamorous celebrities, the question, “what would you be doing if you weren’t a …” is a a far-fetched fantasy that connects famous stars with everyday audiences. However, for millions of Brits who are unfortunate enough to populate a recent record 5.1% figure of those unemployed, the question has become a stark reminder of the perils brought by the pandemic.

The forced hiatus of work for many has enforced a juncture at which new careers led to the trade sectors, through exponential growth, to be a haven of employment, safeguarding the UK’s private sector. Fuelled by the home improvement boom in the UK, the market research provider Kantar has indicated that £4.94 billion was spent on home improvements last year, £552 million than the previous 12 months, many tradespeople have been inundated with work, creating employment opportunities throughout lockdown for those who have changed their career path.

Indeed, new national research from Powered Now, a field service management software that specialises in trades, has unveiled that 18% of Brits have sought a new career path in the trades as a result of the pandemic. Furthermore, the research has indicated that the pandemic has been a catalyst for diversifying the UK’s trade workforce, with 15% of those considering the trades as a career being female.

Key Statistics

• 18% of Brits agree that after COVID, have found employment within a trade sector to pick up additional work or to commence a new career path;
• 15% of tradespeople have seen their client demand increase post-COVID;
• 17% of tradespeople regularly work over 10 hours a day;
• 16% of tradespeople agree that they lose out on business due to extensive administrative tasks, such as chasing invoices;
• 16% of tradespeople agree that sequential waves of COVID has made them more motivated to work.

The research from Powered Now is sure to be received welcomely, as the UK was suffering heavily from a skills drought prior to the pandemic. The UK construction workforce is an ageing one, with over 20% of tradespeople being over fifty and 15% being in their sixties. The problem was a simple one, as these electricians, builders and plumbers retire, the same percentage of young people were not entering these professions.

Although there are many opportunities in the trade industry, many young people were simply not choosing it as a career. This is despite that 74% of parents in a recent YouGov survey would encourage their child to learn the skilled trades. However only 3% of young people aged between 18-24 have searched for a job in the trade industry.

Now however, the tide is turning in favour of the labour market, and Brits are seeking new career paths in the trades at record rates, and for good reason. Powered Now’s research had further unveiled that 15% of the UK’s skilled trade workforce were experiencing their highest levels of client demand during the pandemic.

Ben Dyer, CEO of Powered Now, said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to see the UK construction market continuing to recover from the shutdown. Continual growth in PMI data mirrors what we are seeing at Powered Now, a continued demand for services fuelled by a record housing market. This is great news, and it just goes to show how important these sectors are when it comes to recovering from the problems caused by COVID-19.

“The whole industry is still in catch up mode and the various projects that were delayed by sequential lockdowns, are now taking priority. This has helped to spike demand and we expect it to continue in the short term. Our research has entirely confirmed that tradespeople and consumers alike are very much eager to sustain this growth.

“Our SME customers are also talking about the pressure to complete jobs as they don’t have enough boots on the ground. As we have seen from the sentiments established in this research, a new wave of tradespeople are more motivated to work and are commencing their work on home improvements even sooner. These concerns are also sure to help the sector bounce back even quicker as people will rush to hire a tradesperson for their desired work.”